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Legendary By:
Buffalo Soldier Charles Blatcher, III
receives Field Chairman, National
Promotion to Coalition of Black
Brigadier Veteran Organizations
General from
Black Veterans…. Photo:
Colonel Charles Young.
(1919)

The National Coalition of Black his opportunities for promotion their peers and is expected of a
Veteran Organizations has sought were limited to leadership positions higher rank. In the opinion of the
federal recognition for Colonel available over Black Soldiers. Coalition, Charles Young fulfilled
Charles Young since 1980. Then both criteria during his thirty -two
Congressman Ronald Dellums sub- According to military regulations, years of honorable service in the
mitted the first House Resolution to be considered for a field promo- then segregated United States Army.
on our behalf, seeking the honor- tion, Soldiers must display excep-
ary promotion for the legendary tional leadership and performance Our granting a promotion does not
Buffalo Soldier. We pursued that that clearly distinguishes them from preclude the White House from
route for three and a half following through with
decades. On June 1st, the Presidential request.
the Coalition awarded The honor is earned. We
Colonel Charles Young decided after three and a
the honorary title Briga- half decades of seeking the
dier General. The title honorary promotion, to
was granted as a modi- exercise an option to get it
fied Honorary Field done. In seven and a half
Promotion. years under the current
Administration we have
Charles Young reached not warranted five minutes
the glass ceiling in mili- of consideration for the re-
tary rank leading to the quest. Our action was taken
Flag Ranks in the Armed to insure some change
Forces in 1917 with his Medal Presentation (Left to right)Congresswoman Joyce occurred in Charles Young’s
promotion to Colonel. Beatty, (D-OH), Charles Blatcher, III, Renotta Young, status under President
Serving in a period when Antonio Tobias Mendez, Sculptor, Mayor Marsha Bayless Obama’s Administration.
Black Soldiers were not and Holbert Maxey

allowed to be in com- Continued on next page
mand of White Troops,